inCruises

Abel Prieto joins The Next 100 Days podcast to discuss InCruises as a side gig opportunity and its business model.

Summary of the Podcast

Key Takeaways

• Unique Membership Model: InCruises doubles members’ monthly contributions (e.g., $100 → $200) into “Reward Points” for travel, forcing savings and guaranteeing a minimum 25% discount on bookings.
• Strategic Growth Engine: The affiliate model is a key driver for cruise lines, as 75% of InCruises’ travelers are first-time cruisers—a market segment the lines struggle to reach directly.
• Significant Income Potential: The UK market is largely untapped. A mid-level goal of building a team generating ~$250k/month in sales yields a personal income of ~$50k/month (~£38k).
• Watertight Affiliate Tracking: The referral-link-only sign-up process prevents commission loss, a common problem with cookie-based affiliate programs.

The InCruises Business Model

• InCruises (corp. name: InGroup) is a travel club founded in 2016 by Frank Codina. Abel was onboarded as a Communications expert.
• Membership Tiers:
  • Member: Pays a monthly fee (e.g., $100 or $250) which the company matches 100% in “Reward Points.”
    • Example: A $2,000 cruise costs the member $1,000 in cash and $1,000 in company-matched points, representing a 50% total value.
    • Guaranteed Savings:
      • Using Points: 25% minimum discount.
      • Using Cash (Insider Pricing): 17% minimum discount.
    • Key Rule: Points are for travel only and are non-refundable, ensuring members use them for vacations. They are transferable upon death.
  • Partner: An affiliate who sells memberships.
  • Partner Member: Both a paying member and an active affiliate.
• Company Profitability:
  • Wholesale Pricing: InCruises buys travel inventory at wholesale rates.
  • Commissions: Earns commissions from cruise lines on bookings.
  • Unused Points: Profits from points that are never redeemed.

Market & Opportunity

• Growth:
  • Sales: $350M in 2023.
  • Customers: 750k+ travelers.
  • Inventory: 21k+ cruises, 430k+ hotels, 350k+ tours.
• Untapped Markets: The UK and Europe are largely unpenetrated, offering significant growth potential.
• Demographic Shift: Cruising is attracting a younger audience with more diverse offerings (e.g., Virgin Cruises, onboard activities), expanding the market beyond traditional demographics.

Building a Business with InCruises

• Affiliate Model: Partners sell memberships, not individual travel bookings.
• Income Potential (UK Context):
  • Mid-Level Goal: Generate ~$250k/month in team sales.
  • Required Team: ~500–1,000 paying members.
  • Resulting Personal Income: ~$50k/month (~£38k).
• Graham’s Initial Strategy:
  • Initial Test: A careers fair booth with a costumed “stewardess” (Karina) and leaflets to gauge interest.
  • Target Audience: Affluent individuals (45+) who can afford the monthly membership.
  • Leverage Existing Assets: Use the “finelyfettled” database of 278k cruise-takers for targeted outreach.
  • Future Innovation: Develop an AI-powered “core agent” to provide personalised travel recommendations, adding value beyond the standard platform.

Clips from the Podcast

Visit our YOUTUBE Channel for the full video and Shorts

BY INVITATION ONLY

FACTS & FIGURES

 

Testimonial

Sponsor – inCruises

Graham Arrowsmith’s company Finely Fettled is an inCruises Independent Partner and invites you to find out more about inCruises.

inCruises Link

The Next 100 Days Podcast Co-Hosts

Graham Arrowsmith

Graham founded Finely Fettled in 2014 to provide data from The UK High Net Worth Database to marketers targeting affluent and high-net-worth customers.  He’s the founder of MicroYES, a Partner for MeclabsAI, creating lead generation AI Agents & Workflows and introducing the MeclabsAI Platform. Graham also provides an Answer Engine Optimisation solution to get your website in shape to be found by LLMs. Through his https://upperdeck.cruises website, Graham introduces people to inCruises. Become a member today by clicking here

Kevin Appleby

Kevin specialises in finance transformation and implementing business change. He’s the COO of GrowCFO, which provides both community and CPD-accredited training designed to grow the next generation of finance leaders. You can find Kevin on LinkedIn and at kevinappleby.com